Abdominal Pain

Abdominal pain is pain or discomfort experienced in the abdominal area, which includes the stomach, colon, small intestine, gallbladder, pancreas and liver. It can be due to mild gastric attack to intense viral gastroenteritis cramps. Most abdominal pains are broadly categorised to be caused by inflammation (colitis, gastritis, appendicitis) obstruction (tumours, haemorrhoids, hernia) digestive (peptic ulcers, Jasohnstritis) or vascular (embolism, haemorrhage, thrombosis) disorders. If pain persists it is important to see a doctor.

Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) occurs in 5–15% of children 6–19 years old. As with other difficult to diagnose chronic medical problems, patients with RAP account for a very large number of medical resources in proportion to their numbers.

Making a definitive diagnosis of the cause of abdominal pain can be difficult, because many diseases can result in this symptom. Abdominal pain is a common problem. Most frequently the cause is benign and/or self-limited, but more serious causes may require urgent intervention.